What was your dog bred for?

Dogs have many shapes and sizes that make them all unique. Have you ever wondered why your dog looks the way they do? Or maybe you’ve wonder if they have a practical reason for having the coat that they have. With each breed, there is a history behind why they were bred the way they were and what purpose those breeds serve. In this post, we will discuss some of the most common dog breeds and the reason behind breeding them that way.

Labrador Retrievers

Many owners and breeders of this dog loved it’s passion and efficiency in bodies of water. Labradors are typically known for loving being in the water. Their short and slick coat allows them to repel water and in icier climates, it is preferred because ice doesn’t form as easily on their coats as a long-haired dog might. Their tail also helps them navigate and swim through the waters. These dogs were primarily used by Canadian fishermen when they were first created and to this day, they still make the best fishing and camping companions.

French Bulldogs

French bulldogs have a deep history. Like their namesake, they originated from English bulldogs as those were bred to tame and control bulls. As bulldogs and their practices became illegal, they turned to presenting the dogs in dog shows where they were categorized by size. This then created the small, toy bulldogs we see today. The people that owned these dogs then moved to France. A lot of these people lived in the Montmarte area of France. During the late 1800s, there were a lot of cafes and brothels drawing in all types of people. The women that worked at the brothels often acquired these dogs and the dogs became well-known through the pictures taken of the women because they would often be in the background of these images. The cafes in these areas also created an environment for many artists to visit and experience the area. When these artists would visit, they noticed the odd looking dogs and the dogs often became muses for artwork. As these dogs were seen more around the world, they became highly sought after. Since they were in such high demand, they soon became a breed that exemplified class and were bred to meet these demands.

German Shepherd

German Shepherds were first highly sought after for their looks. Their striking yellow and black coat caught the eyes of many and as people got to know the dogs, they realized their high level of intelligence that only added to their beauty. These dogs are often very intelligent and follow commands well even without proper training. They catch onto commands quickly and have many working traits as well. German Shepherds were quickly bred as war dogs for Germany in World War 1 because of their intelligence and served as a very loyal companions. After the war, they were trained as service dogs to help blind veterans and this training made them very sought after in other countries as well, including the United States. During World War 2, the native German Shepherds tended to pass away while fighting in the war and the small amount of them left eventually were bred with the American version of German Shepherds and have become the breed that we know of today.

Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers came to fruition when a banker spotted a dog that looked similar to them on the street. He was inspired by their golden orange color and the fact that black dogs were the desired color back then and dogs of this golden color were often gotten rid of. This banker then bred this dog with a type of spaniel to create golden retrievers. This breeding created a dog that was efficient on both land and water. These dogs weren’t widely available to the public and instead were more often gifted to people to be hunting dogs. Nowadays, golden retrievers have been highly sought out as they are very loyal companions and delightful dogs.

Bulldog

Bulldogs were originally bred to be in charge of and control farm animals. It is possible that this breed can be documented as early as the 5th century. These dogs, which might be how they got their name, were also used to “fight” bulls. They would bite the nose of a bull and wouldn’t release until the bull submitted and eventually fell down. If the bull didn’t fall down, the dog would unfortunately be killed by the bull. The main reason bulldogs were bred back in the day is for their nature for aggression and were often used in fights like these to make money and provide entertainment, even though it is disturbing. Eventually, these practices were banned and the dogs took a more docile role in homes. After these fighting practices were banned in the UK, the dogs didn’t have much of a role and probably wouldn’t exist if other countries didn’t take them in and begin to breed them from there. This is also how we became familiar with the American bulldog breed. In the U.S. this breed was primarily used to control their cattle, especially when fences weren’t viable options for the land that the farms were on. These dogs have a dark history but are well-known and loved today.

References

• https://www.nylabone.com/dog101/top-10-dog-breeds-in-america
• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever-history-behind-the-breed/
• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/behind-the-breed-history-french-bulldog/
• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/what-was-the-gsd-bred-to-do/
• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/behind-the-breed-golden-retriever-history/
• https://www.cesarsway.com/the-history-of-bulldogs/